This invention relates to wick trimmer and capture device and more particularly to an adjustable wick trimmer that can be permanently or adjustably preconfigured to trim one or more wicks to a predetermined length, and to capture the trimmed wicks, for a variety of single and multi-wick candle and wick burning device configurations.
For centuries, candles and other types of oil burning lamps have used wicks for purposes of providing a flame that emanates light. In recent times, and with the advent of electrically powered lighting devices, the art of candle and wick burning lamp manufacturing, and use, has developed into an industry more focused on creating artistically, aesthetically, and aromatically pleasing candles and wick burning lamps.
In commonly used present-day candles, one or more round wicks are generally situated in the center of the candle. Once ignited, the wick begins to burn and to heat the wax that surrounds the wick, which forms a molten wax pool. As the wax proximate to the wick melts, it is absorbed by the wick, and is drawn by capillary action into the flame where it is vaporized and burned into carbon dioxide, water, and other by-products. As the wax in the wick proximate to the flame burns away, more wax is drawn into the wick and up to the flame. As wax from the molten pool surrounding the wick is burned off, the flame moves down the wick. As the flame moves down the wick, it melts the surrounding wax, which flows into the molten pool. This process continues, and over time, in candles that have a large enough outside diameter, a recess develops within a wall or walls that are formed by the portion of the candle that is not burned away by the flame. In turn, the level of the molten pool of wax moves lower into the recess that forms within the candle. The recess that forms within the candle and which is surrounded by the remaining walls is termed the primary well.
As large diameter candles are burned over time, a type of chimney forms that is commonly referred to by those with skill in the art as the primary well, which forms as the wax is burned off and the wick burns down into the candle. Ideally, when candles are extinguished and reignited, they are left to burn for a period of time that is long enough so that a single well forms within the candle well or chimney. In less than ideal situations, and as is often the case with most consumers of large diameter candle products, the candle is extinguished, reignited, and reextinguished without regard to whether it has burned for the proper period of time so that only the single, primary well develops. Instead, what typically happens is that a second well forms within the primary well as the wax surrounding the burning wick slowly begins to absorb heat from the flame and melt into a pool that surrounds the wick. In time, the pool becomes large enough whereby the base diameter of the pool of molten wax normalizes and eventually equals the diameter of the primary well. However, when the candle wick is prematurely extinguished, that is, before the wax pool reaches the primary well diameter, the molten wax pool cools and hardens and leaves a secondary well that is smaller in diameter than that of the primary well. This is because the secondary well pool will have a surface that is lower than that of the primary well since wax has been burned off therefrom. Accordingly, the surface of the molten wax pool in the secondary well will not be at the same level as the base of the original primary well until the secondary well and the surrounding, unmelted wax has been fully heated and melted. After being fully heated, the secondary well walls melt and merge into the wax pool, which after sufficient time, merges into the primary well, thereby forming a new primary well and molten wax pool. As the candle is continuously reignited and extinguished, without regard for normalization of the well diameter, then tertiary and quaternary wells can also form.
In candles and other types of wick burning lamps, the wick, or a plurality of wicks, is periodically trimmed to an optimum length that eliminates unnecessary waste wick and debris, and overheating of the surrounding candle wax, chimney material, lamp components, and smoking of the burning wick, which in turn minimizes the black carbon-based soot that can emanate from such devices. Many types of wick burning lamps exist that may include, for example, an elongate chimney. The chimneys can take the form of either glass or other suitable material which surrounds the wick burning lamp or a small candle, and wherein the wick(s) are located within the chimney, usually near the bottom.
In any of the preceding configurations and situations, the wick eventually leaves a blackened waste wick and/or cast off debris that becomes ashen and no longer burns. In candles, the wick and debris often fall into the molten wax pool, which, after hardening, leaves an unsightly and aesthetically displeasing appearance to the candle. Even in other types of wick burning lamps, the unsightly debris and waste wick is aesthetically undesirable. In wick burning devices that include chimneys and in candles that have developed more than a single well, it is extremely difficult to reach into the well and to trim the wick to the proper length. Even more so, it is very difficult because of the space constraints, to capture the waste wick and debris without inadvertently casting the waste wick and debris into the molten wax pool. Even if the user waits until the wax cools and hardens before attempting to trim the wick, it is difficult, even impossible to trim the wick to the proper length because the proper length must measured from the base of the primary well, not from the base of either the secondary, tertiary, or quaternary wells.
Over the years, various attempts have been made to remedy the problems associated with waste wick and debris, and with maintaining optimum wick length in candles and other wick burning devices. Since the earliest of times in the United States, patents have issued that are directed to various types of wick maintenance devices. U.S. Pat. No. 18,713 to Stow et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 36,590 to Eagle both disclose wick trimmers that recognize the importance of trimming the wick. However, neither of these devices is suitable for purposes of the present invention. More recently, U.S. Pat. No. 6,076,262 to Pappas disclosed a wick trimmer device that is directed to trimming a wick to a predetermined length by use of a gauge device. However, this device also has shortcomings that prevent its use for purposes of the present invention.
None of the various prior art devices are suitable for use for purposes of the present invention because they each fail to either measure the wick from the proper datum, fail to be compatible for use in chimney mounted and deep well wicks, and/or they fail to capture the waste wick and debris to keep it from falling into the molten wax pool. Moreover, most present day wick trimmers are incapable of trimming a burning wick that is surrounded by a molten pool of wax. Additionally, none of the prior art device can be used in a way that avoids touching the waste wick and debris. Even more importantly, prior art devices do not keep the user from coming in contact with molten wax, which is common when individuals attempt to remove trimmed waste wick and debris from the molten wax pool as it cools.
What has been missing from the art is a device that can solve these problems without an extraordinarily complicated device, or without the need to fabricate an expensive device that does not have broad market appeal. Each of such attempts falls short of offering any motivation, suggestion, or description of a device that incorporates compatibility for use with a variety of wick burning devices, such as (1) lamps having chimneys that surround a candle, or an oil or wax burning wick, and (2) small, medium, and large diameter elongated candles that form deep primary wells over time. While the previously known devices have been able to capture a trimmed wick, they are not compatible with chimneys and deep well candles. More recent devices attempt compatibility with chimneys and deep well candles, but cannot properly trim the wick to predetermined lengths, and cannot capture waste wick and debris. Moreover, no prior art devices, neither present day nor far earlier versions can operate properly to trim a burning wick that is surrounded by a molten pool of wax. Use of the instant invention has demonstrated, in stark contrast, a significant improvement in the process of maintaining proper wick length and in ensuring that waste wick and debris is removed during the trimming process.
Without the new and novel device of the present invention, those who use candles and wick burning devices are left with the aesthetically undesirable and troublesome problems that have persisted for centuries. What has been needed but heretofore unavailable is a device that significantly improves not only the capture of waste wick and debris, but a device that also maximizes the convenience, ease, and accuracy with which candle wick trimming and capture can be accomplished. In addition to offering major advantages over the prior art, such a device must also be inexpensive to acquire, simple to operate, compatible for use in a wide range of wick burning lamps and candles, and easily manufactured so as to make the device available to the widest possible base of consumers.
The present invention meets these and other needs without adding any complexity, inefficiencies, or significant costs to use and maintenance of the most commonly wick burning lamps and candles. The various embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein are readily adapted for ease of manufacture, low fabrication costs, and immediate compatibility with such wick burning candles and lamps that are presently employed worldwide.
In general, the present invention is directed to device that is configured to trim the wicks of a wick burning device, such as an oil or wax burning lamp, a chimney-type candle sconce, and various diameter candles that, over time, form wells wherein the wick burns down and becomes difficult to trim and maintain. More specifically, the invention is directed to a wick trimmer and capture device for trimming, to a predetermined length, a wick of a candle formed with a primary and a secondary wick well. The device incorporates an elongated, actuatable handle assembly that has a grip assembly at a proximate end and first and second prongs at a distal end. A gauging anvil projects distally from the first prong and is formed with a well edge and a secondary well-spanning lateral dimension. An adjustable trim plate is slidably mounted from the second prong and is formed with a trim blade that is arranged in a confronting relationship with the gauging anvil.
In variations of this embodiment, the wick trimmer and capture device includes a handle assembly that is configured in a scissors arrangement about a pivot pin. Alternatively, the handle assembly is configured in a tong arrangement, analogous to those commonly used for serving foods and in other operations requiring remote and extended grasping of items.
In another variation of the preceding embodiment, the wick trimmer and capture device includes an adjustment mechanism that has a keyway with a slot integrally formed in the adjustable trim plate, and a screw projecting from the second prong and through the slot, and a nut for receipt onto the screw. The trim plate is slidably adjustable with respect to the gauging anvil and the second prong, and is fixed in position by tightening the nut onto the screw. In a variation of this modification, the wick trimmer device includes an adjustment mechanism that has a similar keyway with a slot integrally formed in the adjustable trim plate, and a bayonet post that projects from the second prong and through the slot. A clasp for frictional receipt onto the post is also provided. The trim plate is slidably adjustable with respect to the gauging anvil and the second prong and is fixed in position by the clasp frictionally engaging the bayonet post.
In any of the preceding embodiments, modifications, and variations, the instant invention also contemplates a configuration wherein the trim blade, trim plate, and gauging anvil are arranged to be spaced apart a distance sufficient to, when the trimmer is in a closed position, frictionally capture the trimmed wick. In another variation, the trim blade depends substantially orthogonally from trim plate to form a capture ledge, whereby the wick is captured after trimming.
In alternative variations of the preceding embodiments and varations, a wick trimmer and capture device includes, as before, an elongated, actuatable scissors handle assembly having a grip assembly at a proximate end that is pivotally mounted by a pivot pin and having first and second prongs at a distal end. Here, a slidable gauging anvil projects distally from the first prong and is mounted thereon by an adjustment mechanism. The gauging anvil is formed with a well edge and a lateral dimension that is wide enough to span the secondary well of, for example, a candle. A trim plate is also included that is mounted from the second prong and formed with a trim blade, which blade is arranged in a confronting relationship with the gauging anvil.